Apparatus for storing and dispensing carbon dioxide



Aug. 14, 1934. A. w. RUFF 1,970,058

APPARATUS FOR STORING AND DISPENSING CARBON DIOXIDE Filed July 21, 1951 Zhmentov.

22V. MPH

Gttornegs,

Patented Aug. 14, 193a UNITED STATES APPARATUS FOR STORING AND DISPENS- ING CARBON DIOXDJE Alonzo W. Ruff, York, Pa., assignor to York Ice Machinery Corporation, York, Pa., a corpora- 'tion of Delaware Application July 21, 1931, Serial No. 552,556

3Claims.

The present invention pertains to'the storage and delivery of carbonic acid gas, and more specifically to an arrangement of storage chambers designed to increase the evaporation of liquid carbon dioxide in the containers.

It has been found expedient to charge elongated cylindrical containers or bottles for the storage of CO2 gas with solid carbon dioxide, the solid liquefying when warmed by heat exchange W with the exterior atmosphere through the walls of the bottle, and then reverting to its gaseous state. It can then be drawn from the bottles for aerating purposes.

A serious objection tothis method, however,

is that the bottles are designed to rest in a vertical position, and when the level of the liquid therein has dropped a certain amount, the surface area covered by the liquid for heat exchange becomes so small that evaporation diminishes ml and sufiicient pressure cannot be maintained within the chamber to permit use of the ,CO: for bottling purposes.

In the present invention it is proposed to provide a pair of bottles communicating with each other at their lower ends. 'A valve in the communicating passage permits liquid in one chamher to be forced into the second chamber by an excess of pressure in the first-mentioned chamber. Blowinga ofi the containers in this 'manner minimizes waste of the gas andfacilitates recharging.

It is also proposed to support the bottle in a horizontal position so that after a substantial portion of the liquid has been evaporated, the

wall surface in contact with the remaining liquid CO2 is greater than if the bottle were supported in a vertical position. Evaporation is maintained relatively constant in this arrangement and a more uniform pressure is obtained.

% Furthermore, it is unnecessary to recharge the bottles until substantially .all of the liquid CO2 has been evaporated.

The invention will be more fully understood from the following description taken with the accompanying drawing, in which:--

Fig. 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of a pair of interconnected bottles supported in a vertical position;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of a pair of interconnected 59 bottles arranged one above the other in substantially horizontal positionf and Fig. 3 is atop view of the bottle shown in Fig. 1. Each of the elongated cylindrical bottles 10,

10', 11, 11' has a rectangular openingat one end and is provided with an inwardly directed annular flange 12 against the inner side of which a closure plate 13, also rectangular, is adapted to bear to form an air-tight closure for the bottle. The closure plate is drawn against the flange by a nut 14 threaded on a pintle 15 securedto the plate, the nut bearing against a bridge member 16 resting on the end of the bottle. Pressure within the bottle also holds the plate against its seat.

At its other end'eacb bottle has a tapped open ing at 1'? for connection with pipe couplings 18 which in turn accommodate a connecting pipe 19. The connecting pipe is provided with a valve 21 whereby communication between the bottles may be established or interrupted. In Fig. 1 it will be seen that pipe 19 connects the bottom ends of the bottles, whereas in Fig. 2 each bottle is tapped on its under side.

Connections are made to aerating apparatus through valved couplings 22, 22', 23, 23' and pipes 24, 24'. Suitable blow-ofi valves 25 are provided to allow discharge of gas prior to recharging.

The arrangement 0! the bottles in 2 is the preferred form of the invention. The bot- 30 tles are preferablydisposed one above the other, and are both inclined slightly to the horizontal, the tapped end in each instance being somewhat below the charging end of the bottle. The bottles are supported in this manner by a frame 26 35 having straps so disposed that the inclined position of the bottles is maintained during use.

As stated hereinbeijore, the bottles are first charged with solid carbon dioxide blocks, indi- L cated at 27, the plate 13 being removable for this 0 purpose when turned and tipped, as will be un-, derstood from Fig. 3. The closure plate is then fixed securely in place. As the solid CO: is warmed by heat exchange with the surrounding air through the walls of the bottle, it liquefies. So long as sumcient pressure is maintained in the bottle, the CO: remains in a liquid state, but when the pressure is reduced, as through an expansion valve or by opening a valve in the aerating apparatus, some of the liquid will evaporate and the carbon dioxide passes through pipes 24 or 24' as a gas. When the level of the liquid drops to near the bottom of the bottle, the rate of evaporation decreases until little or no gas is given off.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 1, assuming that the bottles are charged alternately and at-difierent times, when the level of the liquid in bottle 10 has dropped sufliciently to prevent the maintenance of relatively high pressure therein, valve 22 is closed and valve 23 is opened. After a short period, during which pressure has built up in bottle 10 and the pressure in bottle 11 has been lowered, valve 21 is opened. The liquid remaining in bottle 10 is then forced by the higher pressure in bottle 10 over into bottle 11. Valve 21 is then closed and the gas in bottle 10 blown off prior to recharging.

The operation of blowing off and recharging the bottles shown in Fig. 2 is similar to that with respect to Fig. l, but the horizontal disposition of the bottles is more conducive to maximum evaporation of the liquid than is the vertical position shown in Fig. 1. Obviously, the surface area of a segmental portion of the bottle along its under side is greater than a spherical or flat end of the bottle, at least so far as low levels of liquids are concerned. A greater rate of heat exchange at a time when the supply of liquid CO2 is near depletion results from the horizontal arrangement of the bottles in Fig. 2. As a consequence, relatively high pressure is maintained until substantially all of the liquid CO2 has evaporated.

The invention has been described with respect to its preferred form, but it is intended that the same be modified to satisfy particular conditions without departing from the principles involved.

What is claimed is:-

1. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a pair of horizontally disposed elon gated storage chambers supported one above the other, each having 'a valved outlet on its upper side and an opening on its under side; pipe means connecting said openings; and a valve in said connecting means.

2. The method of storing and evaporating liquid carbon dioxide for aerating purposes which consists in storing the liquid carbon dioxide in a.

pair of containers; evaporating a substantialv portion of the liquid in a first chamber while discharging same for aerating purposes; then closing said first chamber against discharge of carbon dioxide gas therefrom; then discharging carbon dioxide from the second chamber; and finally expelling the remaining liquid in the first chamber into said second chamber by the higher pressure in said first chamber.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a pair of horizontally disposed storage chambers each arranged to offer extended heat transfer surface to a relatively small residual volume of liquid, each chamber having a gas ofitake at its upper side and a liquid drain at substantially its lowest point; valved connections leading from each gas oiftake to a point of use; a valved connection between said liquid drains; and blow-off valves each controlling flow from the gas space of a corresponding chamber.

ALONZO W. RUFF. 

